Elastin-Coated Biodegradable Photopolymer Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering Applications

Year: 2014

Authors: Barenghi R., Beke S., Romano I., Gavazzo P., Farkas B., Vassalli M., Brandi F., Scaglione S.

Autors Affiliation: National Research Council of Italy (CNR), IEIIT Institute, Via De Marini 6, 16149 Genova, Italy
Department of Nanophysics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
National Research Council of Italy (CNR), IBF Institute, Via De Marini 6, 16149 Genova, Italy
National Research Council of Italy (CNR), INO Institute, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124 Pisa, Italy

Abstract: One of the main open issues in modern vascular surgery is the nonbiodegradability of implants used for stent interventions,
which can lead to small caliber-related thrombosis and neointimal hyperplasia. Some new, resorbable polymeric materials have
been proposed to substitute traditional stainless-steel stents, but so far they were affected by poor mechanical properties and low
biocompatibility. In this respect, a new material, polypropylene fumarate (PPF), may be considered as a promising candidate to
implement the development of next generation stents, due to its complete biodegradability, and excellent mechanical properties
and the ease to be precisely patterned. Besides all these benefits, PPF has not been tested yet for vascular prosthesis, mainly because
it proved to be almost inert, while the ability to elicit a specific biological function would be of paramount importance in such
critical surgery applications. Here, we propose a biomimetic functionalization process, aimed at obtaining specific bioactivation
and thus improved cell-polymer interaction. Porous PPF-based scaffolds produced by deep-UV photocuring were coated by elastin
and the functionalized scaffolds were extensively characterized, revealing a stable bound between the protein and the polymer
surface. Both 3T3 and HUVEC cell lines were used for in vitro tests displaying an enhancement of cells adhesion and proliferation
on the functionalized scaffolds.

Journal/Review: BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL

Volume: 2014      Pages from: 624645-1  to: 624645-9

KeyWords: Laser microfabrication; Tissue Engineering;
DOI: 10.1155/2014/624645

Citations: 16
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